Dean White

Tue 15 December 2020 20:33, UK

This is part of a regular series from our panel of West Ham Super Fans. Each week, our Super Fans will deliver their verdicts on the biggest talking points and news stories around the London Stadium.

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Michail Antonio is unlikely to return from injury in time for West Ham’s clash against Crystal Palace at the London Stadium on Wednesday night.

Speaking in his pre-match press conference on Tuesday, David Moyes said that while Antonio, 30, is back in training after a spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, he cannot see him being ready to place versus the Eagles this week.

BBC Sport journalist Simon Stone quoted Moyes as saying: “He is back on the grass. Tomorrow might come too early for him. He is coming on and we are getting him closer. We are missing him but we want to get him right.”

We don’t want to see Antonio rushed back and suffer a setback because he’s so important to the way the team plays that we cannot do without him for too long.

Unfortunately, Antonio’s absence means that Sebastien Haller is likely to start up front against Crystal Palace.

Haller, 26, had a shocker against Leeds on Friday night even though the Hammers won 2-1 away at Elland Road.

Stats by Wyscout show the Ivory Coast international had three shots on target from five attempts and had an xG of 0.93. He really should have scored.

However, despite his lack of composure in the penalty area has not led to our panel of West Ham Super Fans to say he should be dropped from the starting line-up against Palace.

Here is what they had to say:

W. David Row (@wdavidrow)

Annette Smith (@Annette46557317)

Mark Smith (@ironworks68)

Floyd (@FloydWHU)

Danny Proctor (@DannyProctor13)

It’s great to see fans getting behind Haller rather than getting on his back.

Maybe he does just need to keep on playing to rediscover the form he had at Frankfurt before joining West Ham?

Moyes does have other options up front. Jarrod Bowen has played there in the past, as has Said Benrahma and both of them looked better in the attack against Leeds than Haller did. Andriy Yarmolenko is also someone who Moyes might to think about.

We all thought that Haller would come good again after his wonder-goal against Sheffield United last month but since then, it’s all gone a bit quiet for the Ivorian.

Palace will be on a high after beating West Brom 5-1 and draw 1-1 with Tottenham so they’re not a team who we expect to get rolled over by the Irons on Wednesday.

It will say a lot about Haller whether he sinks or swims in this game, which will potentially be the final Antonio-less Hammers side for a while.

In other West Ham news, Rio Ferdinand has paid tribute to this “blossoming” Irons ace.